The diversity of mollusk species living on our planet is truly enormous. They exist both in water and on land, and look completely different, being no more similar to each other than one mammal is similar to another. Because of this, many mollusks are still very poorly studied, and scientists still have a lot of work to do to fill the gaps in our knowledge about these creatures.

1. It is still unknown how many species there are on Earth. Different scientists give figures from 100 to 200 thousand. Of these, about 3,000 live in Russia.
2. Among all classes of mollusks, the majority are gastropods, such as snails - as much as 80%. Another 19% comes from bivalves - oysters, mussels and the like. And the remaining 1% falls on all other classes at once.
3. The world's largest bivalve mollusk is the giant tridacna. It can weigh up to 250 kg, and lives at depths of up to 100 meters.
4. The weight of the largest mollusk ever caught reached 360 kg. It was caught in the 50s of the 20th century off the coast of Japan (see).
5. Most of all mollusks living in sea and ocean waters feed on plankton.
6. The largest mollusc species in the world is the giant squid. Some individuals reach 18 meters in length. It is also one of the rarest; it was first photographed only in 2007.
7. The age of all mollusks with a shell can be calculated by the number of rings on it, just as the age of most trees is determined by the growth rings. One exception to this rule is the baobab, which does not have growth rings (see).
8. The oldest animal on Earth is still considered to be a mollusk caught off the coast of Iceland. Its age, according to scientists, exceeded 400 years.
9. Octopuses have unique rectangular pupils.
10. In the 40s of the 20th century, the predatory mollusk rapana entered the Black Sea from the Sea of ​​Japan on the bottoms of ships, and since then it has multiplied greatly, practically displacing mussels, oysters and other competitors, because in the Black Sea there are no starfish that feed on rapana (see . ).
11. The smartest mollusks in the world are octopuses. They are trainable and understand commands.
12. Extinct ammonite mollusks reached 2 meters in length. Their shells are still sometimes found in the sand and on the seabed.
13. The blood of mollusks is blue, not red, since the function that iron performs in our blood is taken over by copper in their blood (see).
14. Oysters are bivalve mollusks that can change sex if necessary.
15. Almost all nudibranchs, of which there are about 3,000 species in the world, are poisonous to one degree or another.
16. In one season, the common oyster produces more eggs than any other shellfish - up to a million, or even more. But only a few of them survive.
17. Fossilized remains of marine mollusks are occasionally found on the slopes of Everest, the highest mountain in the world. It was once part of the ocean floor.
18. In 2000, a new species of mollusk was discovered in the coastal waters of Cuba, similar to a flower and notable for the fact that it emits pulses of light when exposed to external stimuli.
19. Cone mollusks hunt fish by literally harpooning them with their teeth. At the same time, they are poisonous, so much so that they can kill a person (see).
20. The sea slug mollusk obtains energy through photosynthesis, like plants.
21. Even 200 years ago in Europe, shellfish, oysters and mussels were considered food for the poor. They were actively eaten, there were few of them left, and they became delicacies.
22. Octopuses can mimic like chameleons, changing not only the color of their skin, but also its texture.
23. Most mollusks have a fair portion of their body made up of muscles. If humans had the same percentage of mass as muscle, we could easily lift half a ton.
24. Scallop mollusks are able to move by opening and quickly closing their valves. The ejected stream of water creates a reactive force, which helps them move.
25. Some species of gastropods and snails have more teeth than any other creature in the world - up to 25,000.
26. Some species of mollusks, such as slugs and snails, take part in the pollination of some plants.
27. Octopuses can throw a stream of ink into the water to hide from the enemy.
28. Octopus mollusks, also known as octopuses, are the only creatures that live in water and have a beak like a bird's.
29. The giant squid, the largest of the mollusks, has an eye diameter that can reach 65-70 centimeters.
30. The ringed octopus mollusk that lives off the Australian coast is very beautiful, but its bite is deadly poisonous. One serving of poison can poison 5-7 thousand people.

Shellfish(from Latin molluscus - soft) (soft-bodied) - a type of invertebrate animal. The body of most mollusks is covered with a shell; there are more than 130 thousand species. They live in seas, fresh water bodies and on land. Many shellfish are food for fish, birds and mammals; some are eaten by humans (oysters, mussels, squid, scallops, etc.).

Shellfish- these are amazing creatures that can amaze us with their beauty. A bunch of interesting facts about shellfish you will discover today.

1. The largest clam ever caught weighed about 340 kilograms. It was caught in Okinawa, Japan in 1956.

2. The oldest mollusk caught by humans, according to scientists, was aged in the area 405 years It may have been the oldest marine animal.

3. The age of mollusks can be determined by number of rings on the shell valve. Each ring differs from the previous one due to the characteristics of the food consumed during this period, the state of the environment, temperature and the amount of oxygen in the water.

4. The main type of food of shellfish is plankton, which they filter from the water.

5. The rapana predator mollusk arrived in the Black Sea in 1947 from the Sea of ​​Japan on the bottoms of Soviet torpedo boats transferred from there and has by now eaten almost all the oysters, mussels and scallops. Rapana was able to proliferate so much because, due to the low salinity of the water in the sea, there are no natural enemies - starfish.

6. Nudibranchs There are about 3000 species, beautiful and poisonous inhabitants of the seas, characterized by a complete absence of shell. However, appearances are deceiving. Nudibranchs are very poisonous; just touching such a beauty can remove the skin from your hand. Another feature of these creatures is the presence of genital organs on the tail and head. These mollusks range in size from 6 millimeters to 31 centimeters. Nudibranchs feed on algae, anemones and even other mollusks. They owe their beautiful coloring to what they eat.

7. The @ symbol, which we call “doggy,” is called “happy snail” by Koreans.

8. The most beautiful but deadliest sea wasp in Australia is the most poisonous jellyfish all over the world. Not far from the Queensland coast, people have died from its poison since 1880. 66 people.

9. An unusually interesting mollusk was found in Cuba that emits light signals during irritation.

10. The sound of the sea in souvenir shellfish shells is the noise of your environment, which resonates with the cavities of the shell. This effect can be achieved without a mollusk shell by placing a bent palm or a mug to your ear.

11. Thanks to changes in their shells, mollusks are able to maintain body temperature, preventing it from rising to the lethal threshold of +38 degrees. Moreover, this happens even when the air warms up to +42.

12. Shellfish are incredibly powerful. If a person had the same strength, then a fifty-kilogram person could easily rise vertically upward with a load of half a ton.

Interesting facts about bivalves

Interesting facts about gastropods

• Gastropods- the most numerous and diverse class of mollusks. They have mastered all habitats except the air.
• In a snail, a mollusk of the gastropod class, about 25,000 teeth.

• The most large gastropod gill mollusk is Syrinx aruanus for which individuals are known with a shell 80 cm long and weighing 18 kg.
• The largest terrestrial mollusk is Achatina fulica, whose leg size can reach 39 centimeters, with a weight of 900 grams.
• Some plants are pollinated by shellfish. So the spleen, which grows in our forests, is pollinated by slugs and snails

Interesting facts about cephalopods

• Cephalopods- mostly predatory marine animals that swim freely in the water column (squids, octopuses)
• U octopus rectangular pupil.
• Octopus in order to hide from its enemies, it can adapt to the color of the soil or water, changing the texture and color of its skin.

• The largest mollusk in the world (also the largest invertebrate in the world) - giant squid called Architeuthis dux. Its length is more than 18 meters. And the eyes are the size of a football. It lives in the coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean. If you believe the legends, this squid was considered a mythical creature, and the first mention of it appeared in 1555. Many scientists doubted its existence for a long time, until in 2007 a group of Japanese scientists was able to photograph it. Currently, a 9-meter specimen is kept in one of the British Natural History Museums.

• In Japanese cuisine there is a very interesting dish called “ dancing squid " The freshly killed mollusk is placed in a bowl of rice, soy sauce is poured on top, and it is at this moment that the squid begins its dance, moving its tentacles. This effect is explained by the unusual structure of nerve fibers, which, even after their death, react to the sodium contained in the sauce, and this causes the muscles to contract.
• Octopuses are very smart mollusks, they are able to distinguish the shapes of various geometric figures, get used to people and even sometimes become tame. These mollusks are very clean, they always take care of cleanliness in their homes, washing away all the dirt with a stream of water released by them, and putting waste outside in “heaps”.

Now you know interesting facts about mollusks, we hope you have learned a lot of new information about seemingly ordinary shells and sea inhabitants.

If you admire the underwater world and its inhabitants, interesting facts about mollusks will probably attract your attention.

1. Depending on the season, oysters can change their gender: one season is female, the other is male..
2. Octopuses have unique conspiracy abilities. In order to hide from their enemies and predators, they adapt to the soil or sea water, changing not only the shade of their skin, but also its texture.

   

3. “Dancing Squid” - an intriguing name for a culinary masterpiece. The decoration of the dish is freshly caught and killed squid, placed in a deep plate with rice. When the dish is served, the squid begins to perform its symbolic dance, moving its tentacles, striking everyone present. Soy sauce is responsible for activating the shellfish. The effect is due to the special structure of the squid’s nerve endings. Once the squid has died, they are especially susceptible to the sodium contained in the soy sauce.

   

4. Shells can reproduce the sound of sea water. Surely everyone who has ever been to the sea has had the opportunity to enjoy the miracle. There is a very realistic explanation for this phenomenon. The noise that we hear from a sea shell is the sounds of the environment resonating with the cavities of the shell.

   

5. Mollusks actively move across the sea, resulting in a large amount of mucus.. It is an excellent means of escape from predators. Snail mucus is used in medicine and cosmetology as a means of combating age-related skin changes.

   

6. Some mollusks have small legs necessary for movement. In cephalopods, for example, the leg is located directly next to the tentacles. Many species have a shell on their body, which serves as the main defender against attack. If danger approaches, the mollusk simply places its body in this shell, making it inaccessible.

   

7. Contrary to popular belief, some mollusks are endowed with intelligence. Let's take octopuses for example. They can easily distinguish the shape of foreign objects, have a unique ability to get used to people and even be trained, becoming tame. They are incredibly clean, maintaining cleanliness and order in their home due to the stream of water released by their body.

   

8. The ability to reproduce anywhere is a unique ability of mollusks. It doesn’t matter whether it’s on the earth’s surface or in the aquatic environment – ​​they can be found anywhere. Let's take, for example, the snail we all know.

   

9. Some varieties of scallops are equipped with a dozen expressive blue eyes located along the edges of the shell. They are responsible for the safety of marine life, allowing them to react in time to the approach of predators and escape from death.

   

10. The largest clam in the history of mankind was caught off the coast of Japan in 1956. Its weight was 340 kg, which is truly impressive.

    

11. The age of marine inhabitants of this group is determined by the number of rings on the valve of their shell. Each subsequent ring is different from the previous one, telling about what the mollusk ate, what kind of life it led, and in what environment it lived. Scientists can spend hours looking at a shell, trying to identify unique facts about the inhabitants of the underwater world.

    

12. Most mollusks feed on plankton obtained from sea water.

    

13. If a person were as strong as some species of sea inhabitants of the mollusk family, then with a body weight of 50 kg he could quite easily lift up a load of about 500 kg, which is ten times his own weight.

    

14. Ancient folk medicine allowed the use of mussel meat as an anti-inflammatory and wound-healing agent. It was applied to wounds and abrasions and used for treatment in hospitals.

    

    

18.01.2016

Cuttlefish, squid, nautiluses... In total, about 730 species of soft-bodied animals represent a group of the most highly organized mollusks that live mainly in warm seas. Due to their unique appearance, these mollusks are called cephalopods. Cephalopods are quite large animals, among which there is a group with one of the most complex types of behavior - octopuses. What do we know about cephalopods?

1. Due to the mobile lifestyle of most cephalopods, the shell, which only gets in the way when moving, has turned into small plates hidden under the mantle.
2. Their leg has been changed: its front part has moved to the head and turned into tentacles, there can be 8 of them (in octopuses) or 10 (in squids and cuttlefish).
3. These tentacles surround the mouth, from which jaws protrude, similar to the beak of a parrot. They consist of horny substance.
4. The back of the leg was reduced into a funnel, which, together with the mantle, performed the function of a kind of jet engine. Water is forcefully pushed out of the funnel, thanks to which the animal can move at high speed, reaching 70 km/h in some species (squid).
5. Cephalopods feed on aquatic inhabitants, capturing them with tentacles with suction cups and tearing them with beak-like jaws.
6. The nautilus has an external shell, which is produced not by the mantle cavity, but by the skin; it is curled on the dorsal side. The shell cavity is divided into chambers by transverse partitions. The animal's body is located in the lowest (living) chamber, the rest are filled with gas and liquid. By changing the ratio of the volume of gas and liquid, the nautilus can sink or float. As the nautilus grows, it moves into the next chamber, which is larger than the previous one.
7. The rapid and abrupt change in color of cephalopods is under the control of their nervous system. Numerous pigment cells (chromatophores) located in the connective tissue layer of the skin, changing their shape, ensure a change in the color of mollusks.
8. Many, especially deep-sea forms, have luminescent organs in their skin that are somewhat similar in appearance to eyes. This light can be ultramarine, light blue, ruby ​​red.
9. The largest squid has not yet been found. It was possible to see only its ten-meter tentacles. They were in the stomach of a sperm whale killed by whalers. Based on the size of the tentacles, it was calculated that the entire animal should be 18 meters long.
10. Nautiluses feed mainly on carrion, collecting it at the bottom. They are not capable of catching animals, but they can even digest the shells of crustaceans.
11. To meet their enemy, cephalopods release the secretion of an ink gland; it is called an “ink bomb”. Having thus muddied the waters, he easily hides from his pursuer.
12. Some of them escape from predators by releasing a cloud of mucus consisting of luminous bacteria, and under its cover they escape from the enemy.
13. Octopuses need shelter, and if there is nothing suitable nearby, the animal builds its own home from scrap material. But if there are boxes, cans, car tires, rubber boots or other suitable objects nearby, then the octopus can easily settle there.
14. Octopuses are very smart animals. They are easily tamed, amenable to training, and thanks to their developed memory they recognize familiar people.
15. Octopuses are less dangerous than domestic geese, only they are more friendly and understanding. And the idea of ​​them as dangerous and vile creatures has taken root among people thanks to the works of some famous writers. Only two representatives of this order - the common octopus and the Dofleina, due to their impressive size, can pose a potential danger to humans. If you take him by surprise in the house or attack them first, then on their part it will no longer be an attack, but self-defense.
16. The real threat to human health and life is octopus venom, produced by its glands to paralyze prey. It also affects humans, and there have been many fatalities in history. The poison of their small blue-ringed representative is especially strong.
17. None of the sea inhabitants have such acute vision as cephalopods. Their eyes are very similar in structure to human eyes. Only their cornea is not solid, but with a wide hole in the middle.
18. The secretion of the ink gland of cuttlefish and squid serves as the basis for making watercolor paint - sepia. Natural Chinese mascara is also prepared from the sediment of these secretions.
19. Their blood is blue (like scorpions, spiders and crayfish), and they have three hearts. Instead of hemoglobin, their blood contains hemocyanin and copper as the metal.

“Primates of the sea” - this is what our naturalist and popularizer of science I. Akimushkin called octopuses. They are actually worthy of our admiration because of their intelligence.

In the depths of the sea, you can sometimes find incredible creatures that hide at impressive depths and which not everyone manages to meet. Some of the most interesting creatures of the oceans are animals like mollusks.

There are more than 150 thousand species (of known ones), and every year zoologists add new unique species to this list. We invite you to learn about amazing mollusks, some of which were discovered quite recently.

1) Angelfish

We probably wouldn't be surprised if sea angels ended up in the same family of living creatures as mythological sirens. They are called angels, although in fact they are predatory sea snails. This particular specimen (pictured), called Platybrachium antarcticum, "flies" in Antarctic waters, hunting pteropods (another type of snail).

2) Armadillo snails

There is no other snail that is clad in such strong armor. Meet the scalyfoot species Crysomallon squamiferum, which was discovered in a hydrothermal vent in the Indian Ocean. The multi-layer structure of the shell is similar to skillfully made armor, which seems to be made of synthetic material.

3) Bioluminescent octopus

One of the few eight-legged animals that emit bioluminescence, that is, a glow, the octopus of the species Stauroteuthis syrtensis was discovered at a depth of about a kilometer in the Gulf of Maine. Photophores (luminous organs) are used by the octopus to deceive prey, which swims directly into the predator's mouth.

4) Snail "Flamingo tongue"

This snail of the species Cyphoma gibbosum received such a strange name due to its bright spotted color. Only the soft tissues of this snail are painted, and its shell is plain. She hides in it in case of danger.

5) Hell Vampire

The hellish vampire is a cephalopod that can be found in Monterey Bay off the coast of California, however, if you descend to an impressive depth. Despite the name, this mollusk is not scary at all.

6) Eared octopus

Octopuses of the genus Grimpoteuthys are found in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge region. These octopuses are sometimes called "eared octopuses" because of their ear-like fins that they move as they move.

7) Nudibranch "Golden Lace"

Resembling a snail without its shell, this nudibranch is famous for its bright and beautiful colors. This creature of the species Halgerda terramtuentis was discovered in the northwestern part of the Hawaiian Islands.

8) Snail from a hydrothermal vent

Another inhabitant of hydrothermal vents, a snail of the species Alviniconcha, was discovered in the area of ​​​​the Shiyo seamount near the Tokyo hydrothermal vent. These are the only representatives of the genus that have been discovered.

9) Jeweled Umbrella Squid

This unusual squid of the species Histioteuthis bonnellii lives at a depth of about 1.5 kilometers or more in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge region. Unfortunately, due to the fact that this creature lives at impressive depths, it has been little studied.

10) Octopus from Lizard Island

Another striking representative of the group of mollusks, the Lizard Island octopus, was recently discovered in the Great Barrier Reef island area off the coast of Australia.